Tubing joint of multiple orientations containing electrical wiring

ABSTRACT

A tubing connection for coupling two or more joints of tubing sections is disclosed comprising a plug assembly and a socket assembly. The plug assembly has a plurality of splines and the socket assembly has a plurality of receptacles adapted to receive the plurality of splines. The plurality of splines comprises a center spline and a plurality of outer splines configured to allow intermeshing with receptacle splines in a plurality of orientations. A coupling collar is used to secure the tubing joint. The plug assembly is connected to the socket assembly in a four-step process of: positioning the assemblies in close proximity, aligning the spline and the receptacle, plugging the spline into the receptacle, and then securing the two sections together with the coupling collar. The tubing joint may also have at least one conduit that may contain a wire or other material for transmitting power and data between the adjoined sections of tubing.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a pipe connection for tubing,casing and drill pipe that is used in the drilling process and in theproduction of hydrocarbons from a subterranean environment, andspecifically to a tubing connection for coupling multiple tubingsections in multiple orientations with optional electrical plugs andwiring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pulling a worn out drill bit on an offshore drilling rig can takeseveral days of continuous labor. The labor involved includes physicallydisconnecting connections between each of the tubing sections as thetubing is withdrawn until the drill bit is retrieved. The process mustthen be repeated to reinsert the new drill bit. Any improvement intubing connections that can reduce the time it takes to disconnect orconnect tubing sections can create significant cost savings by reducingthe time required to complete the operation and get the new drill bitinto operation.

One type of tubing connection is designed so that each tubing sectioncan be connected to the next so that the exact orientation of the drillbit can be known in relation to the above ground tubing. Specifically,U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,744 (the '744 patent) discloses a pipe joint forself-aligning a drill string by means of “at least one downwardlyprojecting extension and a lower section having a corresponding recessfor receiving the extension.” In the '744 patent a single downwardlyprojecting extension may only engage the corresponding recess in oneorientation. In the '744 patent, multiple downwardly projectingextensions may also only mate with the corresponding recesses in oneorientation because asymmetrical configurations are used for themultiple downwardly projecting extensions in order to ensure that thetubing may be connected in only one orientation.

The '744 patent solved the problem of finding a way to join togetherindividual pieces of pipe, tubing, or casing so that an imaginaryreference line will exist down the length of the drill string and,consequently, so that the operators at the surface will know theorientation of the drill bit at the bottom of the well bore. Prior tothe invention of the '744 patent it was impossible to determine theorientation of the drill bit in threaded connections because theconnection orientation differed from connection to connection dependingon the tightness of the threaded connection. Additionally, the '744patent solved the problem that threaded connections alone limit therotation of the drill string to one direction. If the rotationaldirection of a threaded drill string is reversed, then the likelihoodthat at least one connection in the drill string will unthread issubstantially increased. The splined connections comprising outwardlyextending projections and corresponding receiving recesses disclosed inthe '744 patent solve this problem because the splined connectionstrengthens the coupling and permits rotation clockwise orcounterclockwise.

When a tubing connection can only be made in one orientation, time mustbe spent in rotating the tubing section to be connected until it alignsin the one position that will allow it to be joined. The amount of timespent in manipulating each tubing section to align it with the tubingsection to which it is to be joined can be considerable when hundreds orthousands of connections are being made.

A need exists for an improvement to the '744 patent so that when it isnot necessary to know the orientation of the tool at the bottom of thedrill string, the pipe joint can permit alignment of the tubing sectionsin more than one orientation. Allowing alignment in more than oneorientation will permit faster joining of the tubing sections andincrease the strength of the coupling by increasing the number ofsplines.

A need related to connecting tubing sections in multiple orientationsusing splined connections, is the need to transmit electricity downholeto power electrical motors and other downhole devices such a choke. Thedownhole devices may be located at some point along the drill or tubingstring, or they may be located at the end of the string of pipe. Theneed to transmit electricity is significant when using an electricalsubmersible pump (ESP) in an artifical lift method. A need also existsto transmit data from downhole sensors to surface operations throughinternally mounted wires in drilling operations and in productionoperations.

Basic artificial lift methods of producing oil and water from a wellhave improved and changed in recent years. Nearly all artificial liftmethods still connect a plurality of pipes to form a conduit within awell that has been drilled and cased to allow oil and water to be pumpedfrom the bottom of the well to production tanks at the surface. Theproduction string usually has a pumping device at its lower end that ispositioned near the bottom of the well bore that has been prepared forproduction. Pumping mechanisms such as electrical submersible pumps(ESP) and progressive cavity pumps (PCP) provide the energy needed tobring fluids to the surface through a string of jointed tubing. Thesepumps normally require an electric motor to function. Although manyimprovements have been made to these pumps over the years, there hasbeen little done to reposition the wires that provide power to the pumpfrom the outside of the tubing to the inside of the tubing.

For various reasons, those who are skilled in the science of producingfluids from a well have sought out a reliable method of supplying powerto the bottom of a well bore. The previously proposed solutions to thisproblem have been unreliable, expensive, and complicated to install andremove. For example, the currently preferred power transmission methodis to use bands to secure a cable that contains one or more wires to theoutside of the production string of tubing. The bands keep the wireadjacent to the tubing so that it does not snag on the production casingor on any objects that might be in the well bore. The bands also supportthe cable's weight by securing the cable to the tubing. This method isproblematic because it exposes the cable and bands to the corrosiveelements of the well bore. Moreover, the odds of band failure increaseduring the installation (running) and removal (pulling) of the tubing ininclined well bores (the most common type of well bore) because thebands are more likely to hang at the gap where two joints of casing havebeen connected. Failure of one or more bands can prevent the removal ofthe pump or tubing because the annular space between the outside of theproduction tubing and the inside of the production casing is small andthe cable, if not secured to the tubing, can wedge between the casingand the tubing causing the tubing to become stuck. Even if the cabledoes not break, the insulation on the wire inside the cable can bedamaged which can create a short in the electrical circuit, renderingthe wire essentially useless. The tubing string then has to be pulledback to the surface, and the short found and repaired before the pumpcan be run back to the bottom of the well bore. The problems created bybanded external cables are costly and time consuming, and a reliable andcost effective alternative method of transmitting power from the surfaceto the bottom of the well bore is needed.

One solution to this problem is to use a plurality of tubing withmultiple wires attached to the inside of the tubing instead of theoutside of the drill pipe. While this solution alleviates the problem ofsnagging the wire or the bands, it does not solve the problem ofexposing the wire to the harsh environment of the produced fluids thatare contained within the production tubing. Simply hanging the cable onthe inside of the tubing is also problematic because there is no way tosupport the cable's weight and the pump's pressure requirements will behigher because of the added friction between the fluid that is beingpumped and the rough exterior of the cable.

Another solution to the above stated problem is to concentricallyposition the wires on the exterior of a tube that is inserted andattached to the actual production tubing itself. This solution avoidsthe problems presented by simply attaching the wire to either theinterior or the exterior of the tubing. An example of this technique canbe found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,944 (the '944 patent) entitled “DrillPipes and Casings Utilizing Multi-Conduit Tubulars.” The '944 patentdiscloses a drill pipe with electrical wires positioned inside conduitsin the drill pipe wall. But positioning the wire inside the drill pipewall significantly decreases the overall pipe wall thickness. In orderto overcome the decreased wall thickness, significantly thicker drillpipes would have to be used. The multiple conduits also create weakpoints in the drill pipe between the conduits. The high rotationalstress that the drill pipe encounters in the drilling operations cancause stress fractures in the pipe wall between the multiple tubingconduits. In an extreme case, high rotational stress can lead to aninternal fracture in the drill pipe that disengages the drill pipe'sinterior wall from its exterior wall.

Furthermore, manufacturing multiple conduit drill pipe is a complicatedprocess, which is quite unlike the conventional drill pipe manufacturingprocess. Conventional drill pipe is manufactured by attaching male andfemale pipe connections to opposite ends of a conventional piece ofpipe. The two connections are usually welded to the pipe. Multipleconduit pipes must be either extruded with the multiple conduits inplace, or the multiple conduits must be drilled or cut out of aconventional drill pipe. In either case, the costs associated withmanufacture of multiple conduit drill pipe are prohibitive.

Another problem encountered in the addition of wires to drill pipe,which is not unique to multiple conduits, is the problem associated withcreating reliable, secure electrical connections. In conventional drillpipe, the individual pipe segments screw together, creating a problemfor connecting the wires during the screwing or unscrewing process. Thisproblem can be overcome by using drill pipe that plugs together and issecured with a threaded coupler. This type of connection is known in theart. The '944 patent discloses a similar type of coupling connection,but requires a planer conduit seal between the individual pipe segmentsin order to assure the integrity of the conduit connection. Theremovable conduit seal is crucial to the method in the '944 patentbecause a permanently installed conduit seal would be susceptible todamage during manufacture, transportation, storage, and installation ofthe multiple conduit drill pipe during drilling operations. Installingthese conduit seals during the drilling process is also a cumbersome anda time consuming process. Therefore, a need exists for a method oftransmitting electrical power to the bottom of a well bore in which theelectrical connections are adequately protected from damage and theprocess of connecting the individual pipe segments is relatively simpleand fast.

The prior art has previously attempted to supply power to the bottom ofa well bore by alternative delivery methods as well. For example, inSPE/IADC article 798866 (the '866 article) entitled “Smart Drilling withElectric Drillstring™,” the authors disclose a method of supplying powerto the bottom of a well bore using three separate ring connectors ateach end of the tool joint. FIG. 1 is an illustration of the ringconnectors 20 on the male end of the tool joint. As seen in FIG. 2, ringconnectors 20 on the male end of the tool joint are positioned to mateup with ring connectors 21 in the female end of the tool joint when twopieces of pipe are mated together. Threading the tool joint togetherseals the electrical connection between the ring connectors. The use ofring connectors has the advantage that the pipe sections can be mated inany orientation. However, ring connectors have the disadvantage thatfrequent connection, disconnection, exposure, and reconnection of tooljoints during the running and pulling process causes mud, dirt, andcontaminants to become trapped between the ring connectors, that cancause an electrical short. Furthermore, the method disclosed in the '866article is not preferable because wire 22, used to transmit power to thebottom of the well bore, makes two right-angle turns 24. Right angleturns 24 are not preferable because right angle turns 24 place excessivestress on wire 22 and substantially increase the likelihood of wirefailure. Therefore, a need exits for an improved method of joining pipetogether and supplying power to the bottom of a well bore thateliminates the need for ring connectors and that allows wire to runthrough the pipe in an approximate straight line without the need forany sharp angled turns in the path of wire.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/146,288 (the '288 application)discloses a section of tubing with coupled end connectors and an insertcontaining at least one electrical wire. The insert has an outsidediameter that is approximately equal to the inside diameter of theimproved tubing. The insert also has projections at each end such thatwhen two inserts are placed end to end, the projections will mate up.The insert has at least one groove cut into its side and running thelength of the insert. The groove is for the placement of a wire fortransmission of power to the well bore or for the placement of a wirefor transmission of data from the well bore. The groove is installeddown the length of the insert. The groove is deep enough so that when awire is placed inside the groove, the wire does not project beyond theoutside diameter of the insert. The insert may contain as many groovesand wire combinations as are necessary for the particular application.The wire has an electrical connection at each end of the insert. Whenthe inserts are placed end to end, the insert projections line up theelectrical connectors and correct mating of the insert projections willresult in correct mating of the electrical connectors.

The inserts of the '288 application are the same length as the tubingand are installed inside the tubing such that the insert is flush withthe first end of the tubing. The inserts are then welded to the tubingor secured to the tubing by some other method. A threaded coupler isthen installed on the second end of the tubing to protect the exposedinsert and electrical connector. The coupler will also be used to securethe improved tubing together. One of the methods disclosed by the '288application to solve the problem of aligning the electrical connectorsfor proper mating is the use of outwardly extending projections on oneend and corresponding receiving recesses on the opposite end. (See FIGS.10 through 14).

Persons skilled in the art are aware of various methods of protectingexposed wires within the tubing. For example, the article“Composite-lined Tubulars Can Lower Operating Expenses,” World Oil, July2000, discloses fiberglass epoxy-lining, internal plastic coating andpolyvinyl chloride and polyethylene coating. In the context of oil fieldapplications the article states that “[l]ined tubulars consist mainly ofsteel tubing with standard oilfield connections lined with compositeslike glass-reinforced epoxy (GRE) or thermoplastic matrix materials suchas high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).”

As discussed above, a need exists for an improvement to the '744 patentto permit alignment of the tubing sections in more than one orientation.In addition, a need exists for an improvement to the '744 patent toallow the introduction of electrical wiring and connections. A furtherneed exists for an improvement to both the '744 patent and the '288application so that the benefits of both inventions can be combined inone improved tool joint that allows connection in multiple orientationswhere the electrical connectors are in the tool joint itself and not inan insert. The needs identified above exist for production tubing, drillpipe, casing, and/or for any cylindrical pipe used to producehydrocarbons in a subterranean environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, which meets the needs stated above, is anapparatus comprising a tubing joint having a plug assembly and a socketassembly. The plug assembly has a plurality of splines and the socketassembly has a plurality of receptacles adapted to receive the pluralityof splines. The splines and receptacles are typically disposed onopposite ends of a single tubing section. The number of orientations inwhich a first tubing joint may be connected to a second tubing joint isequal to the number of splines. The tubing joint further comprises acoupling collar. The coupling collar is threaded onto either the splineor receptacle element so that it may be used to secure the spline andreceptacle elements together.

The tubing joint may also have one or more wires for transmitting powerand/or data between the surface and the well bore. Each tubing joint mayalso have a conduit running through a portion of the tubing joint. Wiresextend from one tubing joint to the next within the tubing and may beprotected by a casing. The casing may be a plastic insert or it may be asuitable coating. When tubing sections are joined with the tubing jointaligned in one of the multiple orientations, the electrical connectorsare also properly aligned for correct mating of the electricalconnectors. The present invention allows a plurality of casing sectionsto be connected together in a plurality of distinct orientations.

Individual tubing sections, each having appropriate tubing jointsattached, are connected together in a four-step process. To begin, thefirst end of one tubing section is positioned above the second end ofanother tubing section. Next, the tubing joint splines are properlyaligned with the tubing joint receptacles so that they will matetogether. Then, the two tubing sections are plugged together so that thejoint splines engage the joint receptacles. Finally, the coupling collaris screwed onto the second tubing section so that the two tubingsections are secured together. The process may be repeated as necessaryto create an elongated string of tubing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of the prior art ring connectors.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of prior art method of joining two pieces ofpipe containing ring connectors.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the tubing joint in a two-splineconfiguration.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional illustration of the two-spline embodimenttaken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional illustration of the two-spline embodimenttaken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional illustration of the two-spline embodimenttaken along line 6-6 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional illustration of the two-spline embodimenttaken along line 7-7 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional illustration of the two-spline embodimenttaken along line 8-8 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of the positioning and alignment steps for thetwo-spline embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of the plugging step for the two-splineembodiment.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional illustration of the two-spline embodimenttaken along line 11-11 in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an illustration of the securing step for the two-splineembodiment.

FIG. 12A is an illustration of the securing step for an embodiment ofthe tubing joint have two splines and connected electrical conductors.

FIG. 13 is an illustration of the tubing joint in a three-splineconfiguration.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional illustration of the three-spline embodimenttaken along line 14-14 in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional illustration of the three-spline embodimenttaken along line 15-15 in FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional illustration of the three-spline embodimenttaken along line 16-16 in FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 is an illustration of the positioning and alignment steps forthe three-spline embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional illustration of the three-spline embodimenttaken along line 18-18 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is an illustration of the plugging step for the three-splineembodiment.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional illustration of the three-spline embodimenttaken along line 20-20 in FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is an illustration of the securing step for the three-splineembodiment.

FIG. 21A is an illustration of the securing step for an embodiment ofthe tubing joint having three splines and connected electricalconductors.

FIG. 22 is an illustration of the casing of the present invention withwires and wire connectors.

FIG. 23 is an illustration of the aligning step for the plug section andthe socket section of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is an illustration of the splines and wire connectors of thepresent invention taken along line 24-24 in FIG. 23

FIG. 25 is an illustration of the splines and wire connectors of thepresent invention taken along line 25-25 in FIG. 23

FIG. 26 is an illustration of the three spline embodiment with wireconnectors of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is an illustration of the plugging step for the plug section andthe socket section of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is an illustration of the securing step for the plug section andthe socket section of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As used herein, the term “tubing” means production tubing, drill pipe,casing, and/or any other cylindrical pipe that is used to producehydrocarbons, water, or some other desired product in a subterraneanenvironment and that is adapted to receive the tubing joint describedherein.

As used herein, the term “tubing joint” collectively refers to thecomponents of the invention that enable two tubing sections to besecured together, and includes a plug assembly and a socket assembly.

As used herein the term “plug assembly” shall mean a distal end of asection of tubing having a coupling collar and a plurality of splines.

As used herein the term “socket assembly” shall mean a distal end of asection of tubing that is adapted to receive a plug assembly.

As used herein the term “spline” means a projection extending outwardlyfrom a first end of a first tubing joint that is adapted for insertioninto a receiving recess in the second end of a second tubing joint.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of tubing joint 100 without coupling collar700 (see FIG. 7). Tubing joint 100 comprises socket assembly 120 andplug assembly 160. Socket assembly 120 comprises coarse threads 122,receptacle 180, receptacle spline 182, and wrench grip 126. Plugassembly 160 comprises fine threads 162, spline 170, and coupling stopflange 166. Socket assembly 120 and plug assembly 160 may be like thosefound in U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,744 (the '744 patent) entitled “Method andApparatus for Aligning Pipe and Tubing”, incorporated herein byreference. Typically, socket assembly 120 and plug assembly 160 aremanufactured by either casting or forging. While the preferred method ofattaching socket assembly 120 and plug assembly 160 to a piece of tubingis welding, those skilled in the art will be aware of other methods ofattaching socket assembly 120 and plug assembly 160 to a piece oftubing. Regardless of the method of manufacture and/or attachment, theinside diameter of socket assembly 120, plug assembly 160, and thetubing are substantially the same. Spline 170 comprises center spline172 and a plurality of outer splines 174. For simplicity of illustratingthe invention, FIGS. 3 through 12A depict an embodiment having two outersplines 174. Embodiments with other spline configurations areillustrated in subsequent figures. The improved tubing shown in FIG. 3illustrates center spline 172 extending beyond two outer splines 174.

As seen in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, center spline 172 forms a cylindricalpassage that has the same inside diameter as the rest of plug assembly160, and outer splines 174 are coaxially symmetric around center spline172. The outer splines 174 may be manufactured as a single uniformmember with center spline 172, or manufactured separately andsubsequently attached to center spline 172. Additionally, coupling stopflange 166 and fine threads 162 are depicted in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate receptacle 180 located within socket assembly120. Much like spline 170, receptacle 180 forms a cylindrical passagehaving the same inside diameter as the inside wall of socket assembly120. The cavity created by receptacle 180 and receptacle spline 182 isshaped such that center spline 172 (not shown in FIGS. 7 and 8) andouter spline 174 (not shown in FIGS. 7 and 8) will intermesh withreceptacle 180 and receptacle spline 182 when plug assembly 160 (notshown in FIGS. 7 and 8) and socket assembly 120 are plugged together.Additionally, coarse threads 122 and wrench grip 126 can be seen inFIGS. 7 and 8.

Turning to FIG. 9, coupling collar 700 is seen installed on plugassembly 160 prior to engaging plug assembly 160 with socket assembly120. Coupling collar 700 is annular in shape and contains coupling finethreads 702 and coupling coarse threads 704. Coupling fine threads 702are configured for screwing engagement with fine threads 162. Couplingcoarse threads 704 are configured for screwing engagement with coarsethreads 122. Coupling collar 700 can only mate up with tubing joint 100in one orientation because the pitch of coarse threads 122 and finethreads 162 are different. In other words, coupling collar 700 cannot beremoved from tubing joint 100, inverted, and replaced onto tubing joint100. Similarly, when engaging coupling fine threads 702 and couplingcoarse threads 704 with coarse threads 122 and fine threads 162, coarsethreads 122 and fine threads 162 do not interfere with the threadingprocess of each other. As seen in FIGS. 4 through 6 coupling stop flange166 has a larger cross-sectional area than fine threads 162 and acts asa stop for coupling collar 700 so that coupling collar 700 does not gopast plug assembly 160. The outside diameter of coupling collar 700 issufficiently similar to wrench grip 126 so that when the user issecuring socket assembly 120 and plug assembly 160 together, a pipewrench will fit onto both wrench grip 126 and coupling collar 700without undue adjustment of the pipe wrench. Coarse threads 122 andcoupling coarse threads 704 are tapered so that they may be completelyengaged with a minimal amount of rotation after socket assembly 120 andplug assembly 160 have been mated. FIG. 9 is representative of how plugassembly 160 will be stored, transported, and handled.

FIG. 9 also illustrates the relative positioning of plug assembly 160and socket assembly 120 before engaging tubing joint 100. Plug assembly160 may be vertically positioned above socket assembly 120, as seen inFIG. 9, or vice-versa. Tubing joint 100 may also be connected in thehorizontal, but the preferred embodiment is to place plug assembly 160above socket assembly 120. Proper positioning occurs when center spline172 is coaxially aligned with receptacle 180.

FIG. 9 is similarly illustrative of the proper alignment between plugassembly 160 and socket assembly 120 before engaging tubing joint 100.Plug assembly 160 and socket assembly 120 are properly aligned byrotating one or both assemblies of tubing joint 100 such that outersplines 174 are properly aligned with receptacle spline 182. Becauseouter splines 174 and receptacle spline 182 are coaxially symmetric andall have the same dimensions, proper alignment can be achieved in aplurality of orientations, wherein the number of orientations depends onthe number of outer splines 174. A person of ordinary skill in the artwill appreciate that creating asymmetric splines will yield only oneorientation.

When plug assembly 160 and socket assembly 120 are properly aligned,plug assembly 160 may be inserted into socket assembly 120. FIG. 10 isan illustration of the engaging step in which plug assembly 160 isinserted into socket assembly 120 to complete tubing joint 100. In theengaging step, plug assembly 160 is lowered onto socket assembly 120such that center spline 172 properly mates with receptacle 180.Similarly, in the engaging step, outer spline 174 intermeshes withreceptacle spline 182 (not shown in FIG. 10). Coupling collar 700 isbacked onto coupling stop flange 166 so that coupling collar 700 doesnot engage coarse threads 122 in the engaging step described in FIG. 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, center spline 172 is properly mated withreceptacle 180 when center spline 172 and outer splines 174 intermeshwith receptacle 180 and receptacle spline 182. Coupling collar 700 thencan be lowered onto receptacle assembly 120 (not shown in FIG. 9).

FIG. 12 is an illustration of tubing joint 100 secured with couplingcollar 700. After plug assembly 160 and socket assembly 120 are properlymated, they are secured together by screwing coupling collar 700 ontosocket assembly 120. Coupling collar 700 is secured to socket assembly120 with pipe wrenches (not shown) that grip coupling collar 700, wrenchgrip 126 and torque coupling collar 700 until coupling collar 700 isfirmly screwed onto socket assembly 120. The two tubing sections thatare joined by tubing joint 100 may then be used in the productionprocess.

FIG. 12A illustrates an embodiment of tubing joint 100 that furthercomprises conduit 1010 that may contain conductors. Conductors may bewires, electrically conductive material, or material capable oftransmitting optical signals. Examples of conduit 1010 are illustratedin U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/146,288 entitled “TubingContaining Electrical Wiring Insert,” incorporated herein by reference.Conduits 1010 may be formed by inserting a plastic tube with one or moregrooves to conductors in a groove between the plastic tube and thetubing.

Alternatively, conduits 1010 may be formed by running a conductorthrough the tubing and coating the conductor with a suitable coatingsuch as plastic, glass-reinforced epoxy (GRE), or thermoplastic matrixmaterials such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) As shown in FIG. 12A, alignment and continuity ofconduits 1010 is ensured by proper orientation and mating of spline 170with receptacle 180 and by securing tubing joint 100 with couplingcollar 700. Connection 1014 represents a contact connection. A person ofordinary skill in the art will recognize that many types of connectorsare available for assuring a proper electrical or optical connectionbetween socket assembly 120 and plug assembly 160, and will be able toselect the appropriate type. A more preferable way to connect theconductors will be discussed in FIG. 22 through 28.

FIG. 13 through FIG. 21 illustrate a three-spline embodiment. Themanufacture of the three-spline embodiment is similar to the manufactureof the two-spline embodiment. Likewise, assembling a plurality of tubingsections using a three-spline tubing joint is similar to assembling aplurality of tubing sections using a two-spline tubing joint. FIG. 17 isan illustration of the alignment step for a three-spline configuration,in which coupling collar 700 is installed on plug assembly 160. FIG. 19illustrates the engaging step for the three-spline configuration, andFIG. 21 illustrates the securing step for the three-splineconfiguration.

FIG. 21A illustrates a three-spline configuration of tubing joint 100that further comprises conduits 1010, similar to FIG. 12A.

A further advantage of the present invention is that the splinesdepicted herein allow a plurality of casing sections to be connectedtogether in multiple distinct orientations. These distinct orientationscan be described by the amount of rotation required for one casingsection to connect with another casing section when one of the casingsections remains stationary. For example, in the two spline embodiment,two casing sections can be connected together in two orientations: 0degrees and 180 degrees. In the three spline embodiment, two casingsections can be connected together in three orientations: 0 degrees, 120degrees, and 240 degrees. Similarly, the present invention can beapplied to any number of splines desired by the user.

FIGS. 22 through 28 illustrates a further embodiment of the presentinvention in which tubing joint 100 has been adapted for the passage andconnection of wire 300. Alternate plug assembly 360 has conduit 372adapted for passage of wire 300. Conduit 372 has outside aperture 370and inside aperture 374. Connector 304 is affixed to alternate plugassembly 360 at outside aperture 370 forming a seal between connector304 and alternate plug assembly 360. Alternate plug assembly 360 hasreduced outside diameter section 378 that creates interior lip 376allowing wire 300 to exit inside aperture 374 and pass through intocasing interior 302. Alternate socket assembly 320 has conduit 322adapted for passage of wire 300. Conduit 322 has outside aperture 330and inside aperture 324. Recess 306 is adapted for receiving connector304 through alternate socket assembly aperture 332. Alternate socketassembly 320 has reduced outside diameter section 328 that createsinterior lip 326 allowing wire 300 to exit inside aperture 324 and passthrough into casing interior 340 and be coated with coating 302. Coating302 may be plastic, glass-reinforced epoxy (GRE), or thermoplasticmatrix materials such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyvinylchloride (PVC). Moreover, coating 302 may be any suitable material knownto persons skilled in the art.

Wire 300 should be installed so that the length of wire 300 withincasing interior 302 is longer than the distance between alternate plugassembly inside aperture 374 and alternate socket assembly interioraperture 324. The extra wire length allows for flexing of the casing andfor expansion of the casing due to heat. Wire 300 may be encased inepoxy 302 or some similar adhesive used to affix wire 300 to casinginterior 302. Alternatively, a cylindrical conduit containing wire 300can be used and adhered to the inner wall of the casing. In otheralternative embodiments, non-cylindrical conduits can be used to adherewire 300 to the inner wall of the casing. Wire 300 contains connector304 and connector 306 which plug together when a plurality of casingsections are secured together, as seen in FIG. 23. The present inventionmay include a plurality of wires 300, connectors 304, and connectors 306within a single spline/receptacle of the plug/socket assembly depictedherein. FIGS. 24-26 illustrate different wire configurations within thepresent invention. A person of ordinary skill in the art will be able tocreate additional wire configurations other than those depicted in FIGS.24 though 26. As seen in FIGS. 27 and 28, the present embodiment of thepresent invention may be aligned, plugged, and secured together with acoupling collar in the fashion as the previous embodiments of thepresent invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art. Moreover, all equivalent relationships tothose illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

1. An apparatus for joining two tubing sections together, comprising: aplug assembly having a plurality of splines; a socket assembly having aplurality of receptacles adapted to receive the plurality of splines ofthe plug assembly; a securing device for securing the plug assembly tothe socket assembly; wherein the plug assembly and the socket assemblymay be joined in N orientations where N is equal to the number ofsplines.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of splinesfurther comprises a center spline and a plurality of outer splines ofequal dimensions, the outer splines sharing a common longitudinal axiswith the center spline and having symmetry about the common longitudinalaxis, and where N is equal to the number of outer splines.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the securing device is a coupling collaradapted for connecting it to the plug assembly and the socket assembly,the coupling collar initially engaged with the plug assembly.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the plug assembly further comprises finethreads.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the socket assemblyfurther comprises coarse threads.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, whereinthe threads of the socket assembly are tapered.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the two tubing sections are connectable in two distinctorientations.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two tubingsections are connectable in three distinct orientations.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the two tubing sections are connectable infour or more distinct orientations.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising at least one conduit containing a wire adapted tocarry an electrical current.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising at least one conduit containing material adapted to carry anoptical signal.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubing sectionsare tubing.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubing sections arepipe.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubing sections arecasing.
 15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubing sections areused to produce hydrocarbons from a well bore.
 16. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the tubing sections are used to produce water from awell bore.
 17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubing sections areconnectable in a plurality of distinct orientations.
 18. An apparatusfor providing power to a subterranean environment, comprising: adrilling assembly containing a plurality of tubing sections; a pluralityof tubing joints for connecting the plurality of tubing sectionstogether, the tubing joints comprising: a plug assembly having aplurality of splines; a socket assembly having a plurality ofreceptacles, the plurality of receptacles adapted to receive theplurality of splines of the plug assembly; at least one conduit runningthe length of the apparatus; a securing device for securing the plugassembly to the socket assembly; and wherein the plug assembly and thesocket assembly may be joined in N orientations where N is equal to thenumber of splines.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the pluralityof splines further comprises a center spline and a plurality of outersplines of equal dimensions, the outer splines sharing a commonlongitudinal axis with the center spline and having symmetry about thecommon longitudinal axis, and wherein N is equal to the number of outersplines.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the securing device is acoupling collar adapted for connection to the plug assembly and thesocket assembly, the coupling collar initially engaged with the plugassembly.
 21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the plug assemblyfurther comprises fine threads.
 22. The apparatus of claim 19, whereinthe socket assembly further comprises coarse threads.
 23. The apparatusof claim 22, wherein the threads of the socket assembly are tapered. 24.The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the two tubing sections areconnectable in two distinct orientations.
 25. The apparatus of claim 19,wherein the two tubing sections are connectable in three distinctorientations.
 26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the two tubingsections are connectable in four or more distinct orientations.
 27. Theapparatus of claim 19, further comprising at least one conduitcontaining a wire adapted to carry an electrical current.
 28. Theapparatus of claim 19, further comprising at least one conduitcontaining material adapted to carry an optical signal.
 29. Theapparatus of claim 19 wherein the tubing sections are tubing.
 30. Theapparatus of claim 19 wherein the tubing sections are pipe.
 31. Theapparatus of claim 19 wherein the tubing sections are casing.
 32. Theapparatus of claim 19 wherein the tubing sections are used to producehydrocarbons from a well bore.
 33. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein thetubing sections are used to produce water from a well bore.
 34. Theapparatus of claim 19 wherein the tubing sections are connectable in aplurality of orientations.
 35. A method of using a tubing joint to jointwo tubing sections together, comprising: using a first tubing sectionwith a proximate end having a plug assembly attached and a second tubingsection with a distal end having a socket assembly attached, positioningthe first tubing section coaxially with the second tubing section;aligning the first tubing section with the second tubing section;engaging the plug assembly of the first tubing section into the socketassembly of the second tubing section; and securing the first tubingsection to the second tubing section.
 36. The method of claim 35 whereinthe positioning step further comprises: positioning the first tubingsection coaxially with the second tubing section such that the proximateend of the first tubing section is in close proximity with the distalend of the second tubing section.
 37. The method of claim 35 wherein thepositioning step further comprises: aligning the first tubing sectionwith the second tubing section by rotating one or both tubing sectionssuch that the plug assembly outer splines of the first tubing sectionare positioned to properly mate with the receptacle in the socketassembly of the second tubing section.
 38. The method of claim 35wherein the first tubing section is vertically above the second tubingsection.
 39. The method of claim 35 wherein a pair of electricalconnectors are electrically coupled when the plug assembly of the firsttubing section is inserted into the socket assembly of the second tubingsection.
 40. The method of claim 35 wherein a pair of optical connectorsare optically coupled when the plug assembly of the first tubing sectionis inserted into the socket assembly of the second tubing section. 41.The method of claim 35 wherein the coupling collar of the first tubingsection is used to secure the first tubing section to the second tubingsection.
 42. The method of claim 35 wherein the tubing sections aretubing.
 43. The method of claim 35 wherein the tubing sections are pipe.44. The method of claim 35 wherein the tubing sections are casing. 45.The method of claim 35 wherein the tubing sections are used to producehydrocarbons from a well bore.
 46. The method of claim 35 wherein thetubing sections are used to produce water from a well bore.
 47. In adrill string of the type comprising a plurality of drill pipe sectionsarranged in end to end relation from a location above the ground to alower location adjacent to an orientable tool connected to a bottom endof the drill string and wherein the adjacent ends of the drill pipesections are connected to each other to form a plurality of spaced pipejoints extending downwardly from the ground to the tool, wherein eachpipe section is provided with a lower end having a downwardly projectingextension and an upper end having a complementary recess which is inalignment with and corresponds with the downwardly projecting extensionon the lower end of the same pipe section, and wherein each pipe jointcomprises an upper drill pipe section having its downwardly projectingextensions received in the corresponding recesss in the next adjacentlower drill pipe section and wherein the extensions and the recesses canfit together in more than one orientation, wherein the adjacent ends ofthe sections are threaded and wherein an internally threaded collar isreceived over the threaded ends to hold the sections of each pipe jointsecurely together.
 48. A drill pipe joint as set forth in claim 47wherein the upper drill pipe section and lower drill pipe section areprovided with keyways which are symmetrically related with respect tothe longitudinal axis of the drill string and wherein keys are affixedto the keyways of the upper drill section and are adapted to fit intothe keyways of the lower drill pipe section.
 49. A drill pipe joint asset forth in claim 47 wherein the upper drill pipe section is providedwith at least three downwardly extending legs which are symmetricallyarranged with respect to the longitudinal axis of the drill string andwherein the lower drill pipe section is provided with a correspondingnumber of recesses arranged so as to receive the legs of the upper drillpipe section.
 50. An apparatus for connecting a plurality of casingsections together comprising: a first casing section; a second casingsection removably connected to the first casing section; and wherein thefirst casing section and the second casing section are connectable in aplurality of distinct orientations.
 51. The apparatus of claim 50wherein the connection between the first casing section and the secondcasing section comprises: a means for connecting the first casingsection to the second casing section in a plurality of distinctorientations.
 52. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the connectionbetween the first casing section and the second casing sectioncomprises: a plug assembly having a plurality of splines affixed to thefirst casing section; a socket assembly having a plurality ofreceptacles adapted to receive the plurality of splines of the plugassembly, the socket assembly being affixed to the second casingsection; and a securing device for securing the plug assembly to thesocket assembly.
 53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the securingdevice is a coupling collar adapted for connection to the plug assemblyand the socket assembly, the coupling collar initially engaged with theplug assembly.
 54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the plug assemblyfurther comprises fine threads.
 55. The apparatus of claim 53, whereinthe socket assembly further comprises coarse threads.
 56. The apparatusof claim 55, wherein the threads of the socket assembly are tapered. 57.The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the two tubing sections areconnectable in two distinct orientations.
 58. The apparatus of claim 52,wherein the two tubing sections are connectable in three distinctorientations.
 59. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the two tubingsections are connectable in four or more distinct orientations.
 60. Theapparatus of claim 52, further comprising at least one conduitcontaining a wire adapted to carry an electrical current.
 61. Theapparatus of claim 52, further comprising at least one conduitcontaining material adapted to carry an optical signal.
 62. Theapparatus of claim 52 wherein the tubing sections are tubing.
 63. Theapparatus of claim 52 wherein the tubing sections are pipe.
 64. Theapparatus of claim 52 wherein the tubing sections are casing.
 65. Theapparatus of claim 52 wherein the tubing sections are used to producehydrocarbons from a well bore.
 66. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein thetubing sections are used to produce water from a well bore.